Can strength training boost your brain power? David Wiener, training and nutrition expert at AI-powered fitness app Freeletics, tells us everything you need to know about strength training for biohacking.
Simply put, brain biohacking means making small, incremental lifestyle changes to improve your overall mental health and long-term cognitive function and abilities.
Biohacking has become increasingly popular in recent years, as the main way to increase mental performance is exercise, and strength training in particular.
Just like we can train our biceps, we can train the brain to become stronger and more flexible.
Research shows that 70 to 150 minutes of physical activity per week, such as strength training, can help prevent cognitive decline and improve mental health in people with mild cognitive impairment.
Exercise boosts a protein in our brains called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF.
Although this is still being researched, one possible hypothesis is that exercise stimulates a protein in our brain called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF.
Just like fertilizer for the mind, BDNF is involved in stimulating new brain cells, forming new pathways, and reducing inflammatory markers. In this way, strength training builds bone density, protects against disease, and corrects postural imbalances.
Taking it a step deeper, this workout style also helps improve mood, promote mind-body connection, build a healthy body image, and reduce stress and anxiety, making it the most versatile way to look and feel strong.
Although it’s especially important as we age, strength training is for everyone. The sooner you start, the more you’ll benefit in terms of overall strength, bone health, coordination, muscle function, and more.
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Like any activity that requires discipline and consistency, strength training can make someone mentally tough. Four of the best strength exercises to increase brain power include…
#1 Squats
Squats are a great way to build strength and stability. They work multiple muscle groups, from your calves and quads to your abs and glutes.
But recent research shows that squatting is one of the best exercises for improving brain function, and that just three to five minutes of squats, three times a week, can be even better for your brain than 30 minutes of steady exercise. , like running. or a walk.
It is thought to be mainly related to blood flow to the brain. When you are squatting, you move your head up and down against gravity. Your blood vessels try to buffer changes in blood pressure and act as shock absorbers for the brain, and it is this unique type of blood flow that is believed to be responsible for the benefits of brain stimulation.
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#2 Boards
The board has a special effect on our nerves, making them a great way to improve our overall mood. They are believed to do this by stretching muscle groups that contribute to stress and tension in the body.
Mental stresses and strains also cause physical stress on muscles and nerves. The good news is that planks not only calm your brain, they can also treat anxiety and depression symptoms, but only if you make them part of your daily routine.
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# 3 Jumps
Combining bodyweight training with cardiovascular exercise, Jumping Jacks are typically used as a warm-up exercise, but they’re packed with brain-stimulating power and ability.
They pump your blood quickly and quickly and at the same time improve the blood supply to the brain. This, in turn, gives your brain a boost of energy that keeps it going without exhaustion.
Just ten minutes of activity like this can boost your brain power and focus. They are also simple to perform and require little space and no equipment.
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#4 Strength training
Weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells combined with high-impact resistance exercises involving heavy contractions have been shown to greatly improve memory and intelligence in people, especially those with mild cognitive impairment.
A combination of weight and resistance exercise can increase brain power in people over 50, with systematic studies showing highly positive effects on brain power, alertness, attention and memory.
resistance exercise can increase brain power
Resistance training also has clear effects on executive function and working memory. Also, when you lift weights, you really focus on form and performing specific movements, which in turn trains the neural circuits in your brain.
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